Top athletes to feature in SAG

As reported in local English daily 'The Assam Tribune' :

GUWAHATI, Jan 29 - All the leading sportspersons of the eight participating nations will be seen in action during the 12th South Asian Games (SAG) to be held in Guwahati and Shillong from February 5 to 16. Addressing in a press conference here today, Injeti Srinivas, CEO of the SAG Organising Committee said that the countries have already sent the names of their contingents which include all the leading sportspersons of their respective countries. Host India will have the largest squad with 276 male and 245 female athletes. Sri Lanka will send 251 male and 226 female sports persons while Bangladesh contingent will have 223 male and 147 female athletes. Pakistan also confirmed to send a 246-member team with 141 female members. Pakistan’s hockey team will definitely be the main attraction of the championship. However, Afghanistan, which will send a 148-member squad, including 49 female, did not put their name in football event which could have been another prime attraction of the games. Altogether 1374 male and 1105 female athletes will compete in 23 events during the 12th SAG. Informing about the Indian contingent, Srinivas said, the home team will be studded with stars like boxers Mary Kom, Shiva Thapa, shuttlers Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, K Srikanth, squash stars Dipika Pallikal, shooters Gagan Narang, Samresh Jung among others. Srinivas, however was not sure whether the football pitch at the Nehru Stadium will be ready in time or not. The preliminary league matches were scheduled to be played at this venue but unfortunately despite having spend a huge amount the ground is far from completion. The size of the ground will also not meet the perfect FIFA regulation as it was wrongly developed. Meanwhile the Maldives volleyball team has arrived here for practice prior to the SAG. Most of the teams will be arriving on February 3, informed Srinivas.